13th April
An interesting start to the day being checked by border control after stopping to photograph the swallows near the Pecos Bridge. There were 7 checks in all, but this was the only one that wasn't random and questioned our activity. Chris had seen the cameras at the time, but I hadn't.
Hundreds of swallows around the modern road bridge at Pecos.
Within minutes of taking the photo we were spoken to by border control. As usual they asked whether we were US citizens, checked our passports and that we had a current ESTA and then the vehicle for other occupants. Then they wanted to know if we'd driven down by the bridge, and why. It turns out that vehicles pulling onto that area by the bridge are sometimes smugglers. An 'Oh no, sorry about that officer' was sufficient to see us on our way to Seminole Canyon State Park.
We did a mix of walking trails and birding from the car here. We saw our first Scaled Quail and got our best views so far of Phyrrhuloxia.
Phyrrhuloxia
Seminole Canyon
Ocotillo in flower
The distant under hang is Panther Cave that has pictographs that span hundreds of years.
The museum informs on ancient peoples who left the pictographs (dated to 4000 years ago),
Indian, railway and rancher history.
Brown Anole
View across the scrubby desert
Lark Bunting
Pecos High Bridge, 84m at the highest point, the second bridge at this location, completed
Dec 1944 by the Southern Pacific Railroad.
In the afternoon we visited the Cactus Garden of Judge Roy Bean (the law west of the Pecos) at Langtry. Langtry was a railroad sponsored town and named for a works' foreman. Judge Bean (asked to help enforce the law by the Texas Rangers) was fascinated by Lilly Langtry who visited the town a few months after Bean's death. Some interesting history although we went for the birds, but not a great deal in the garden.
The Jersey Lilly, saloon and courthouse
Cactus Wren
Sparse planting and the lethal footpath, some blocks were weathering away
more than others - should have consulted a geologist.
We drove on to Alpine for a two night stay looking a sites in the Chihuahuan Desert locales.
The landscape extends unchanged for miles in places.
Evidence of volcanic activity and erosion
Pronghorns
Despite the harsh conditions most roads are excellent
White-tailed Deer
14th April
We started off at the Fort Davis State Park.
Here we began at a recommended blind by the intuitive centre and got one of our most wanted.
Montazuma Quail males
The water and food provided brought in a lot of specialist species, many seen already.
Pine Siskin
Black-throated Sparrow
Scott's Oriole, another new one for us.
Green-tailed Towhee
Audubon's Warbler
Acorn Woodpecker
We drove up to a high point at the park for Black Hawk and a fantastic vista.
Black Hawks were nesting nearby in the high country
Rock Wren
Say's Phoebe
We returned to the centre here at the end of the day for Elf Owl and got them, but the photos were terrible.
Elf Owl
At the Fort Davis historical site there was no doubt that this was a hot, dry inhospitable place to be. Life was hard enough without battling Indians and bandits. Hardly any birds, but we did manage a decent view of Bushtit.
Parade ground and officers quarters
Bushtit
There were a couple of sightings on the way to Balmorhea Lake.
Aoudad sheep
Red-tailed Hawk
The lake has been created by building a dam across a water course. There were waders and waterfowl at this oasis set in the desert dryness. We also got best views by far of Scaled Quail as they came down to the water's edge to drink.
Other species seen included Clark's Grebe, Western Grebe, American Coot, American Pipit, Black-necked Stilt, Least Sandpiper, Lark Bunting, Hooded Merganser, Franklin's Gull, Bufflehead, Snowy Plover, Baird's Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, American Pelican, Mexican and Ring-necked Duck.
We got Burrowing Owl, sitting proud on a fencepost as we drove back to Alpine.
15th April
We got to the Chihuahuan Desert Institute quite early and started at the bird blind. It was one of those places that not really been thought out by birders as it was necessary to walk in the open to the hide, right by the area where birds were being attracted to. It was impossible to arrive or leave without startling any birds there.
The bird blind set up
Cactus Wren
Summer Tanager
This walked through the feeding area and came with us when we left.
We didn't want to birdwatch accompanied by a cat so had to go back to the visitor centre to give it the slip.
The desert plant beds were beautiful with some cacti coming into bloom.
Not many birds, but a better view of Bushtit at least.
Cassin's Kingbird
Spotted Ground Squirrel
From there, on to Gage Gardens. This had not been on the itinerary but on a local's recommendation we tried and there were a lot of species.
Chihuahuan Meadowlark
American Pipit
Vermillian Flycatcher.
Zone-tailed Hawk
Next day we would move on to Christmas Mountain Oasis.